New Sanko Factory Brings Added Packaging Resources and Innovation to North American Market through Partnership with T.H.E.M.

Sanko Machinery Co., a leading international provider of flexible packaging machinery, is now fully operational in their newly constructed Sagamihara, Japan facility to accommodate expanded production requirements and enhanced research and development programs. The new factory effectively doubles the capacity of their previous location, providing additional room for advanced testing, systems upgrades, and new systems design and development. In addition to its Sagamihara location, Sanko owns and operates world-class manufacturing and packaging facilities in Kagoshima, Japan, Indonesia, and Thailand.

Sanko, along with its global packaging supply chain partners, has made great strides in the advancement of flexible packaging systems designed for dairy and pharmaceutical product formats. The Sagamihara expansion will allow for greater concentration on systems built to accommodate the stringent packaging requirements for these and other aseptic product categories. Sanko’s multi-million dollar investment effectively doubles the space for its R&D center, and adds additional staff under the direction of Shoichi Yaguchi, Management Director.

Sanko is credited with inventing stick packaging approximately 40 years ago. With thousands of Sanko-made packaging machines in use today on every continent, they are the global leader of stick pack machinery production for liquid, powder and dry product formats. Their systems feature state-of-the-art heat-sealing technologies and very high output rates; their new liquid pouch filler is the fastest in the world.

Marlton, NJ-based T.H.E.M. has been the exclusive North American representative of Sanko packaging solutions since 1996. Their combined efforts are behind numerous flexible packaging success stories for many top consumer brands. The resources and expertise of both companies have made flexible stick packaging and the Sanko packaging machinery portfolio proven performers in North America.

“We’re very excited about the unique and advanced opportunities this new facility will bring to our customers in North America,” T.H.E.M. President Neil Kozarksy said. “T.H.E.M.’s customer base is hungry for the next generation of packaging equipment from Sanko. Without tipping my hat, it’s safe to expect substantial enhancements and innovations in sealing, lighter gauge materials usage, and speed. With Sanko you have not only an established company, but also an extremely driven one that truly appreciates the value of investing in R&D. They are always looking for new ways to drive up package quality and efficiency, while driving down cost and waste.”

Kozarsky added, “The Sanko-T.H.E.M. relationship represents the perfect union of Japanese ingenuity and American creativity. I’m confident that the next generation of Sanko machines will expand the reach of flexible packaging to entirely new markets sectors. A broad range of new and innovative product applications is sure to follow, and we’re simply grateful to be part of it all.”

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About T.H.E.M.

T.H.E.M. (Technical Help in Engineering and Marketing) was founded in 1973 as one of the first providers of innovative packaging solutions in North America. The company is best known for commercializing Sanko Stick Packaging in the U.S. Working in conjunction with select packaging and equipment manufacturers, T.H.E.M. offers a comprehensive array of stick packaging solutions designed to take brands from initial concept to full-scale national or global production. T.H.E.M. has a fully operational, on-site R&D center located at its Marlton, NJ headquarters, with pilot production to scale-up contract packaging capabilities.